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Pursue your passion for sports and build the skills it takes to lead a team with a major in Athletic Coaching and Recreation Management from Dean College.
Program Overview
Coaches today do much more than run plays and win games. The best coaches are mentors and educators who inspire players to reach their goals in sports and in life. As an Athletic Coaching and Recreation Management major at Dean College, you’ll prepare to do all that and more.
Dean College offers a bachelor’s degree and associate degree in Athletic Coaching and Recreation Management. Our program combines a solid academic foundation with activity-based classes and plenty of real-world experience. You’ll learn coaching fundamentals and theories alongside fitness, nutrition and personal conditioning skills, business principles and leadership skills. You can choose from two tracks in the bachelor’s degree program:
In the Athletic Coaching track, you’ll learn and apply management skills like team and project management, strategic planning and active listening as you prepare to coach youth, recreational, club, collegiate or professional sports teams. In the Recreation Management track, you’ll study recreation management and leadership practices and experiential learning concepts to help enhance your skills in management, programming and group dynamics in order to manage recreation departments or health and fitness centers.
Athletic Coaching
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SMGT 172 | Introduction to Sport Management | 3 |
| SMGT 187 | Individual/Team Sports | 3 |
| SMGT 200 | Coaching and Recreation Practicum | 3 |
| SMGT 203 | Sport Venue Management | 3 |
| SMGT 215 | Sport Ethics | 3 |
| SMGT 305 | Organization and Administration of Sport | 3 |
| SMGT 405 | Sport Law | 3 |
| SFL 170 | First Aid and Safety/CPR/AED | 3 |
| ACCT 103 OR ECO 150 | Financial Accounting or Principles of Economics | 3 |
| BUS 230 | Principles of Management | 3 |
| BUS 235 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| BUS 325 | Principles of Finance and Budgeting | 3 |
| BUS 405 | Leading the Organization | 3 |
| BUS 495 | Business Policy and Strategic Management | 3 |
| DCA 100 | Campus Connections: Making the Transition | 1 |
| DCA 110 | Career Connections: Developing Your Brand | 1 |
| DCA 200 | Internship Connections: Creating Your Plan | 1 |
| DCA 300 | The Internship Experience | 6 |
| DCA 350 | Future Connections: Launching Your Career | 3 |
| SMGT 188 | Fundamentals of Coaching | 3 |
| SFL 260 | Fundamentals of Physical Fitness and Conditioning | 3 |
| SMGT 418 | Advanced Coaching | 3 |
Total Credits
63
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 111 | Composition l | 3 |
| ENG 112 | Composition ll | 3 |
| SPC 101 | Communication Fundamentals | 3 |
| MATH ELECTIVE | Core Mathematics Elective | 3 |
| LAB SCIENCE ELECTIVE | Core Lab Science Elective | 4 |
| ARTS ELECTIVE | Core Distribution Arts Elective | 3 |
| NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATH ELECTIVE | Core Distribution Natural Sciences and Mathematics Elective | 3 |
| SMGT 174 | History and Philosophy of Sport and Physical Activity | 3 |
| PSY 111 | General Psychology | 3 |
| COM 327 | Applied Professional Communication | 3 |
| PSY 335 | Psychology of Sport | 3 |
| UDLA ELE | Upper-Division Liberal Arts Electives | 6 |
Total Credits
40
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ELE | Electives | 18 |
Total Credits
18
Recreation Management
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SMGT 172 | Introduction to Sport Management | 3 |
| SMGT 187 | Individual/Team Sports | 3 |
| SMGT 200 | Coaching and Recreation Practicum | 3 |
| SMGT 203 | Sport Venue Management | 3 |
| SMGT 215 | Sport Ethics | 3 |
| SMGT 305 | Organization and Administration of Sport | 3 |
| SMGT 405 | Sport Law | 3 |
| SFL 170 | First Aid and Safety/CPR/AED | 3 |
| ACCT 103 OR ECO 150 | Financial Accounting or Principles of Economics | 3 |
| BUS 230 | Principles of Management | 3 |
| BUS 235 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| BUS 325 | Principles of Finance and Budgeting | 3 |
| BUS 405 | Leading the Organization | 3 |
| BUS 495 | Business Policy and Strategic Management | 3 |
| DCA 100 | Campus Connections: Making the Transition | 1 |
| DCA 110 | Career Connections: Developing Your Brand | 1 |
| DCA 200 | Internship Connections: Creating Your Plan | 1 |
| DCA 300 | The Internship Experience | 6 |
| DCA 350 | Future Connections: Launching Your Career | 3 |
| SMGT 317 | Sponsor Development and Digital Sports Hospitality | 3 |
| SMGT 429 | Sports Tourism Management | 3 |
| BUS 341 | Data Analysis and Decision Making | 3 |
Total Credits
63
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 111 | Composition l | 3 |
| ENG 112 | Composition ll | 3 |
| SPC 101 | Communication Fundamentals | 3 |
| MATH ELECTIVE | Core Mathematics Elective | 3 |
| LAB SCIENCE ELECTIVE | Core Lab Science Elective | 4 |
| ARTS ELECTIVE | Core Distribution Arts Elective | 3 |
| NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATH ELECTIVE | Core Distribution Natural Sciences and Mathematics Elective | 3 |
| SMGT 174 | History and Philosophy of Sport and Physical Activity | 3 |
| PSY 111 | General Psychology | 3 |
| COM 327 | Applied Professional Communication | 3 |
| PSY 335 | Psychology of Sport | 3 |
| UDLA ELE | Upper-Division Liberal Arts Electives | 6 |
Total Credits
40
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ELE | Electives | 18 |
Total Credits
18
Beyond The Classroom
Practice your skills and put your knowledge to use in the world. At Dean, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to get hands-on coaching and management experience.
- Complete an internship with a Dean coach. Review recruiting videos, set up practice sessions, design a workout—you’ll discover what it takes to lead a team.
- Learn about the field from guest speakers who regularly visit Dean to share their stories, offer guidance and provide valuable networking contacts.
- Practice your skills by testing Dean athletes on their strength and fitness.
You’ll graduate with the skills and knowledge you need to launch a rewarding career as an athletic coach, educator, fitness center manager, recreation department manager and other sports-related roles. You’ll find Bulldogs working for employers like the YMCA, Orange Theory Fitness, various high school and collegiate athletic programs and much more.
Get Involved
Learn more about how to get involved with student organizations, activities and exclusive learning opportunities.-
Dean College Athletics Combine your passion for sports in class and on the field. -
On-Campus Fitness & Recreation Take advantage of our fitness programs and spaces.
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Internships & Experiential Learning Get hands-on experience through The Center for Business, Entertainment and Sport Management.
Uniquely Dean
Discover the unique programming that the Dean College Athletic Coaching and Recreation Management program has to offer.
- Tailor your academic studies to the sport of your choice.
- Learn what it takes to be a professional coach by interning with Dean College coaches.
- Gain hands-on experience by working with Dean College teams.
- Meet with and learn from professional coaches from major teams in the area, including the New England Patriots, Providence Bruins and New England Revolution.
- Tour professional facilities and arenas, such as Gillette Stadium, the New England Revolution Training Center, and Helix Esports at Patriot Place, an esports gaming center and the official practice facility for the Boston Uprising.
- Network with industry leaders, gain exclusive learning opportunities and pursue internships through The Center for Business, Entertainment and Sport Management.
- Learn from experienced faculty and staff. Dean College was ranked #5 in Best Undergraduate Teaching in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report Best Regional Colleges, North category.
Having the opportunity to study different types of coaching is helping me figure out how I want to structure my own coaching style. I’d love to coach middle school or high school kids. I’m an assistant coach for my former high school team, and I also volunteer with a summer basketball program, so I’ve had the chance to get a lot of hands-on experience both inside and outside Dean
I was on the lacrosse team and my coach was also my professor, so I learned a lot about his coaching style. I also learned a lot from our strength and conditioning coach, and was able to do my internship with our athletic director. It’s all prepared me to be a strength coach in the future.
RECENT STORIES
Check out the news and stories below to learn more about being an Athletic Coaching and Recreation Management major at Dean.